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I'd prefer not to allow webpages to access my system information. If I use NoScript, Panopticlick is only able to see my User Agent string and HTTP_ACCEPT headers. Otherwise, it can sniff way to much information, including a list of my installed browser plugins. Is there a way for me to "sandbox" a browser so that such information can be "hidden" from JavaScript?

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  • Unlikely. Guess you can always modify an open source browser to prevent its JS engine from returning the data...
    – Karan
    May 31, 2013 at 4:12

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Another workaround, depending on exactly what you are trying to achieve, is to use a Virtual Machine. You can keep the VM clean and generic (never use it for logged-in browsing, keep cookies and other stored state cleared, etc.), and choose an OS and browser that has a common configuration. You'll look 'legit' to web sites, but actions in the VM won't be tied to actions outside of the VM, except by your IP address which you can change with a proxy, VPN, SSH tunnel, or similar.

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  • Thanks for the tip. It sounds like a good idea, but I doubt I'll ever go through such hoops just to avoid targeted advertising. It just bugs me that such information is so easy to sniff. Oh well.
    – Steohawk
    Jun 1, 2013 at 5:35
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As a work around, you could use User Agent Switcher as this will report different information (which may be secure enough).

Or, you can use Proxomitron with IE

And if you are really concerned, you can run an 'anonymous OS'

Anonym.OS LiveCD is a bootable live cd based on OpenBSD that provides a hardened operating environment whereby all ingress traffic is denied and all egress traffic is automatically and transparently encrypted and/or anonymized.

However, for the record, I totally agree with Karan's comments that this is very unlikely.

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